If the Fates Will Allow
by snowcloud8
Summary: After being kept in her family's castle all her life, Persephone wishes to venture into the outside world in order to win her freedom and seek out the answers to her past. However with both the kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshido amidst in a terrible war, she finds herself tied up by the knots of love, hatred, family, and destiny, discovering the choices of one could determine the war. AU
1. One's Thoughts and Dreams

**This story is my own interpretation of Fire Emblem If/Fates, based on rough dialogue translations and creative license. Inspired by authoress _imagine . believe_ , and her FE: Awakening fanfiction "Recto Verso." Feel free to check her out.**

 **Like the game, this story will eventually split into two sides: Birthright and Conquest. However, endings and scenes will have their own twist that deviates slightly from the game. I hope you enjoy and thank you for reading! Please review and subscribe!**

 **Edit: For anyone who's curious, the song is a rough translation of Aqua's song "If One's Thoughts," or "Hitori Omou" for you Japanese fans. On a side note, after doing an extensive amount of research on Fire Emblem's wikia, I have noticed that when I published this story, it was Marx's (Xander in English) birthday, October 27th. Happy Birthday, Marx! Can't wait to play your game in 2016!**

 **Also, it has come to my attention that Kamui/Corrin resembles more of an albino person in appearance, so I've fixed that.**

 **Chapter 1 One's Thoughts and Dreams**

 _She sensed herself being surrounded by water. It was as if she was on an island in the middle of the ocean. Strange, since she had never seen the ocean before, what she knew about it coming only from what she had read in her books, and yet the picturesque scene was as clear as day. Suddenly, a warm, feminine voice echoed wistfully, her song sounding like ripples over the water._

"Swaying and being swayed,  
One's thoughts flow,  
Like bubbles down the river stream,  
That hand will open up the path to tomorrow

Reaching out to the light,  
The un-corruptible golden sword,  
Will slash in order to wake,  
Those slumbering hopes,  
Bringing peace to the world..."

 _As the song continued, a strange young woman clad in elegant white robes with lace blue ribbons formed from droplets of water next to her. Her long, flowing azure hair seemed to melt into the sky as it blew in the wind. The girl began gently stepping on the surface of the water, as if she were walking on grass instead of sea foam, her gold and blue pendant lifting up as if possessed by a magic spell._

"A soft light scatters from the crystal,  
Vanquishing the dark like a sunrise,  
One's thoughts..."

 _"Who are you?" she asked the young woman, who stopped singing. She was about a couple of yards away before she turned and lifted up a long gold staff and distorted the surface of the water with a single droplet of water from its sharp tip. Strange images of floating islands and colors began swirling around like oil on water before it revealed the faces of the girl's family members. They appeared like they were standing right behind her, but she when she turned around, she was alone. She was always alone._

 _Their faces stared up lovingly at her own from the water's reflection. She could almost reach out and touch them before her hand distorted the faces of her relatives with continuous ripples until they formed into four new figures. She couldn't make their faces out, but they appeared to be a family of four, two boys and two girls. The eldest, a young man with long, spiky red hair and an argent gaze reached his hand out to her._

 _"It's good to see you," he smiled._

 _"Who are you?" she asked._

 _"We are your family."_

 _"You... you're not my family."_

 _The azure woman looked at her with sad bronze eyes, her tears slowly falling down her face. Right before they struck the water's surface, she heard one final voice whisper._

 _"Cora..."_

 _The voice felt so comforting, so familiar. She wanted to walk towards it, but she soon found herself abruptly pulled under, ripped away from the mysterious woman and falling deep down into the dark abyss. "You are my little Cora, Persephone..._

 _Persephone..._

 _Persephone..._

"Persephone, it's morning." Waking up from a long sleep, Persephone saw it belonged to her blue haired maid, Flora, who was trying to get her young mistress up to greet the day. Tired and a little disoriented from her dream, her eyes grew heavy again and felt herself being pulled back into the sweet seduction of slumber. When that didn't work, her younger sister Felicia decided to aid her.

"It's morning! Time to wake up, sleepyhead!" Felicia replied in her usual cheerful tone, the pink in her cheeks matching her hair. So much positivity so early in the morning was almost blinding to her as she turned back over in bed and pulled the covers over her head. While it would be considered unprofessional for most lady's maids to even consider, Flora thought it necessary as she played tug-of-war a bit with Persephone's blanket, the drunkenness of sleep giving Flora more of an edge as the princess finally willed herself up to sit up.

"Hrmgh... _Fine._ What is it? Why'd you wake me up in middle of the night?" Persephone yawned as she blinked wearily at the dark sky. _I don't remember asking for a wake up call..._

"Pardon me, milady," interjected an elderly man with large black armor and long scars on his face. "It's already morning, even if it's still dark outside. You have a special training session today."

She felt a pout of disappointment form on her lips, allowing herself to collapse in her pile of pillows in exhaustion. She had almost forgotten. She had a match planned with her eldest brother Marx. Leave it to Gunter to spoil an opportunity for relaxation. Now she knew she _had_ to get up. Not only was he incredibly strict, he was more stubborn than a mule and about as adamant as a diamond. This was why he was an excellent knight, first in his class. This of course meant that he was her bodyguard, though some days she felt like he was her warden, but not today. Today, everything was going to change.

"I've made it my duty to have prepared your weapons for the session ahead of time. I hope they are to your liking," her butler, Joker smiled with a gentlemanly bow. She looked at her butler's handwork, her swords sharpened and in tip-top shape as usual, and felt a small amount of guilt for feeling more obligated to fall back asleep than to admire his craftsmanship.

"But I'm still sleepy..." she whined, not looking forward to her training session nearly as much as she had before, since she was still groggy from all the studying last night. Maybe that was why she'd had that strange dream. Her younger brother Leon had once told her that dreams were basically process of information while one slept. However, this had been the third time she'd had this dream, and it still felt all too real.

"In that case... Felicia," Flora turned towards her sister, who nodded in affirmation before both of the girls held their hands on both sides of Persephone's head and shot a cold blast of ice onto her temples.

"Ahhh! Stop! T-that's cold! I'm up! I'm up already!" Persephone yelped, bits of ice and snow now stuck in her hair, making it look like she had charged headlong into a snowbank or had a really bad case of dandruff.

"You're so cruel, Flora," Persephone mock cried as her lady's maid began pulling off her nightwear in favor of a more suitable outfit for combat.

"It can't be helped, milady," Flora sighed. "After all, we are from the Ice Tribe." She placed a robe on her mistress before stepping back with a bow. "If that is to be all, I shall undress the bedding and add it to the laundry."

"I expect to see you dressed and ready at half-past eight," Gunter stated before leaving out the door. _Killjoy,_ she thought to herself before her butler stepped out of the bathing room.

"I've already drawn up a hot bath and began brewing a fresh pot of black tea to help invigorate and stimulate you later for your match," Joker declared. "I can scrub your back, if you'd like."

"N-No, no. I-I can do that myself, thanks," Persephone blushed as she quickly marched into the steam filled room and immersed herself in the warm blanket of water. She wasn't a child anymore. She was almost eighteen, practically a young woman. While Joker was part of the help, he was a dear old friend and her closest confidante.

It was fine when she was little and he scrubbed her back, but now it just made her feel uncomfortable. He was certainly attractive enough, but it was more over the fact that she was becoming more self-conscious of her own body becoming more lithe and curved, much like that of a woman's, and how men saw it. She was more of a late bloomer than any of her sisters. Her silvery white hair fell past her shoulders, almost falling all the way down her back in long wavy curls, and her chest had not been as... _well-endowed_ as her sister's. Needless to say, she felt a little left out. Still, better late than never.

While she scrubbed her long locks, she felt her hands go over her pointy ears and immediately let her hands fall away in shame. She had grown her hair out to hide them, as she got teased constantly by her younger brother when they were children. Which was why she never put her hair up. If that wasn't enough, she had to be blessed with crimson colored eyes, a major discerning feature that made her different than the rest of her family, as they had either lavender or dark brown eyes.

There were times she wondered if she was even related to them at all. She knew that her father sometimes was a bit more... loose with women in his hey-day, but she was the only one who had red eyes. She'd sometimes look at her father's face only for the sake of searching for something that she could relate to. She had been looking into her mother's origins in secret, although Joker claimed that no records had come up yet. It was one of the things she was determined to do once she left the palace. She wanted to understand.

The dream that plagued her seemed to draw out doubts about her origins. Maybe it was a sign of her becoming excited about leaving home and going out into the world. She decided to settle for that answer as she came out of her bath and took a sip from her teacup, still thoughtful from her musings. After her maid Felicia began placing on her undergarments behind a large screen, Joker began fitting her into her slim-fit plated armor and combat skirt.

"Something troubling you, my lady?" he asked, taking notice in his mistress's odd behavior. While he was not a morning person, she was quite the chatter box and often filled the early morning silence with laughter and lovely conversation that made his mornings worth getting up for.

"What makes you say that?"

"I asked if you wanted to wear any armored boots, and you didn't respond."

"Oh," she drew out, pulling out a small chuckle out of her butler. For no discernible reason at all, Persephone had always hated shoes. To her, they felt as confining as the cold stone walls that kept her imprisoned here, so she often went barefoot, and she had fought tooth-and-nail to keep it that way. While she had initially been forced into wearing boots in the beginning, as it was discourteous for nobles or any decent human being to be without footwear, Persephone had proven herself to be more agile when barefoot, and since she never left the castle grounds, there seemed to be no need for shoes. "I'm fine. It's just... I had that dream again."

"Oh...? A dream? What kind of dream did you have?" Joker inquired, pausing slightly in his task of fastening her armor.

"Just the same, strange dream," she shrugged as her eyes filled with a wistful look. "A group of strangers claimed to be my siblings, but I had never seen them before... and a young blue haired woman singing..."

"How odd... That's the third time this month you've had this dream," Joker exclaimed, furrowing his brow deep in thought. "Perhaps we ought to inquire a soothsayer about these dreams, or have a witch brew up a potion to aid in your sleeping habits..."

"Um... Lady Persephone," Flora interjected nervously, just getting back to escort her mistress. "It was just a dream. Perhaps we can hear more about it later."

"Yes... you're probably right," Persephone conceded with a smile, pushing her thoughts away for a later date. "Thank you for aiding me, Joker. I can never get the armor on right like you do."

"Any time, milady. If there should be anything you need me for, I am yours to command," he bowed courteously with a warm smile. "And should you find the need to talk some more, I will make myself readily available."

"Thank you, Joker," she smiled warmly, always loving the chance to confide in him. While her lady's maids were employed by her father, Joker was absolutely loyal to her and would keep their conversations held in the strictest confidence.

"Good luck, Lady Persephone! Lord Marx is waiting~!" Felicia cheered as the others led her away to the battleground.

* * *

The cold crisp air cut clean through a person's bones, giving a lively, electric feel as blows were exchanged between two swordsman, sparks flinging off their swords like fireworks. A man with short blonde hair proudly rode his black horse towards his opponent, knocking back his sparring partner in succession with the dark violet flames that licked off his spatha longsword, leaving her panting on the ground.

"Just as I expected from you, Marx," a young dark knight remarked. "Even though Princess Percy is all rested up now, she still doesn't stand a chance against Nohr's greatest warrior."

"Thanks for the support, Leon. Your two cents is very charitable," Persephone grumbled sarcastically at her younger brother as she grudgingly pushed herself up from the floor with her broadsword.

"Best to use that sharp wit of yours for other things, Persephone. Is this all you can do?" her elder brother Marx chided, pointing his violet colored longsword in her direction. "I'm not satisfied yet. Pick up your blade and face me. Prove to me how capable you are!" Persephone gave him a look of defiance as the two began readying themselves to start again in their respective corners. He rode his horse past her before he subtly leaned in close.

"Are you okay?" he asked to the side in a low whisper, not wanting to let on to the others that he was being more lenient than his usual unyielding self.

"I... I'm fine. I can keep going," she ushered, not wanting to give up so easily. She had worked so hard to get where she was- she had openly challenged Marx to a duel in front of her father -it would be devastating to give up now when she had come so close.

"You do realize that if you can't land a single hit today, you will never be allowed to leave this place." She almost froze in her stride from this declaration but continued walking. Her stamina wasn't nearly as high as Marx's, and it didn't help that he had actually fought in real combat, but that didn't make her any less skilled as a swordsman.

"I know... I'm... just warming up. I've barely even broken a sweat," she replied proudly, declaring with a sudden burst of confidence that her brother couldn't help but smile at her resilience and positivity. It was one of the things he greatly admired about her.

"Then I hope that you can finally come at me with everything you got," he smirked, clutching his sword in readiness.

"Only if you promise to as well," she returned as her face mimicked his expression, her eyes glowing with sibling rivalry.

"Now then, let's go. Persephone... if you really want to see the outside world... Defeat me and begin your own path. Show me the strength of your resolve. I won't go easy on you just because you are my sister. Now, give it your best shot!"

And with that declaration, round two had begun. Persephone tried landing a few more blows, but she always seemed to hesitate at the last second. Even though it was a sparring match, it was against her eldest brother. She couldn't go full out on him, even if angered, because she didn't want to hurt him. Marx seemed to figure this out quickly as he managed to parry the next blow with ease before using the force of the blade against her to knock her back and cut her side. She cringed slightly at the wound. He had her covered in several small cuts and scrapes, but she had barely put a scratch on him!

"What you lack is killer instinct. Strike me! Like you intend to end my life!" he demanded before charging in again with his steed, causing her to move on the defensive. His higher ground made the blows harder to take, but he wasn't completely invincible. There had to be another way to beat him, if she could just get him off that horse! She just had to think.

 _He's not a my brother! He's not my brother! He's... just another enemy. Another enemy to fight. An enemy I must defeat in order to protect my family!_

"Hyaaaaah!" Persephone let out a large battle cry as she began charging with invigorated determination. She began ferociously striking back like a beast, to the point where Marx's war horse was getting nervous. A slight misstep in the footing caused the horse to slip and rear back, knocking Marx off of his mount. When he finally righted himself, he found himself staring at the tip of Persephone's blade, her eyes cold, sharp, and focused from battle.

"Well done, Persephone. You've gotten stronger," Marx grinned, admitting defeat.

"Thanks... I owe it all to you and your training," she smiled as she sheathed her sword and helped him up to his feet. "Are you hurt? He didn't roll over you, did he?"

"Only my pride. Besides, Gaspar wouldn't roll over his master, not unless he didn't want extra oats to eat in his supper tonight," he stated as he brushed off the dirt before looking at his sister with a knowing glance. "Although, knowing you, I have a feeling that you would somehow sneak them in to him anyways. Are you making a pet out of my war horse, Persephone?"

"Everyone deserves to be spoiled now and again," Persephone admitted, scratching Gaspar slightly on the cheek, the stallion snorting in contentment. It wasn't long before they were joined by a buxom female knight with long lavender hair and a kind expression.

"Percy, darling, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? If you're feeling any pain, let me know. I will look after you..." It was then that she pulled Persephone into one of her famous death hugs.

"Ack! Pain! I'm feeling pain! Camilla, stop!" Persephone cried out as her wounds creaked from the sheer force of her big sister's hug, her ability to breathe slowly being compromised. Being a revenant knight had not only added to her strength, but her beauty as well, as her breasts somehow appeared larger than the last time she saw her. Then again, she was currently being suffocated by them.

"Ooops! Sorry! You know how I can get. You're just so cute, Percy!" Camilla cooed, squishing the young princess's face in adoration before Persephone managed to pull away.

"It's alright. It's just a scratch."

"Certainly not," she gasped. "I don't know what I would do if Marx had somehow killed you during the fight. Let's get those wounds taken care of. Elise, heal her!" A little girl with long corkscrew curls, no older than fourteen, ran forward and held up a small black rod.

"Sure thing, Big sis!" Elise replied cheerfully as she began pooling healing energy all around the wounded princess. "I'm glad to help out my big sister."

"Marx, you were much too harsh with her!" Camilla scolded the paladin. "She's not one of your training dummies. You're the oldest, you should know better than to pick on your little sister!"

"Honestly, I think he took it easy on me," Persephone defended, scratching the back of her head with a sheepish smile. "Besides, I asked him to take this seriously. I didn't want him to just hand me the win. I want to be able to fight on my own merit."

"I wish you didn't have to fight. Then you could stay here, and I could have you all to myself," Camilla doted on Persephone, acting like the smothering mother she was before the healing energy finally dissipated.

"All done!" Elise declared.

"Thanks, Elise. I don't know what I did to deserve you. You're always there for me," Persephone replied, patting her baby sister's head with gratitude as her face lit up.

"Ehe! Then, does that make you happy?"

"Of course it does. Since I can't leave the citadel, I always look forward to seeing you. Your smile is like a ray of sunshine that always brightens my day, no matter how bleak."

"Yaaay! That makes me happy too!" Elise glomped onto her, causing Persephone to spin her around.

"Whoa!"

"I love you, Big Sis! You're my most favorite person in the whole world!" she squealed.

"Geez, she's still such a brat..." Leon grumbled, a bit jealous of all the attention she was getting. "You wouldn't have to be healed all the time if you would just stop being such a nuisance, Percy the Pain."

"Better than being Leo the Cowardly Lion," Persephone responded before sticking her tongue out and blowing a raspberry at him.

"Ah, but her innocence... It's a sign that our kingdom can still be changed, Leon," Camilla added.

"True. I think you have what it takes to become a great Nohrian knight," Marx praised, causing Persephone to blush at his admiration and stare down at her feet.

"Oh gods, no! I couldn't. I'm not you, Marx. I'm not crazy strong or talented. I can't even ride a horse into battle without falling off, and forget me trying to hold an amazing sword like Siegfried!"

"You sell yourself short, Persephone," he exclaimed with a frown. "You quickly forget that I was once like you: weak, unskilled, a form needed to be molded. But after lots of hard work and practice, I became the paladin I am today."

"I guess that's true. Thanks, M- heeeeey, wait a second!" Persephone began before she finally caught onto his words. "I thought you said I had what it takes to become a Nohrian knight."

"While you do have the potential, you lack form and grace," Marx replied bluntly, pointing to Persephone's feet. "Your stance was off for most of the match, and you could stand to practice the basics more in sword fighting."

"You tease me..." Persephone pouted, crossing her arms a bit.

"However," he added. "While you are a little rough around the edges, that last move you did really surprised me. You pass my inspection. I expect great things from you, Persephone." Her pout quickly turned into a look of shock and euphoric excitement.

"Yay! Thank you, Marx! I'll be sure not to let you down!" She hugged her brother tightly, something he was a bit unsettled by as it was unexpected, but his demeanor lifted slightly, giving one of his few genuine smiles before Leon interrupted the moment.

"Geez, it's not like skill with a sword determines everything, you know."

"Heh... You hate losing, don't you, Leon? Still sore from the last match we had?" Marx smirked, taking his brother's silent scowl as a 'hell yes.' "You have a natural talent for magic. You can excel there."

"...As long as you'll acknowledge me for it," Leon sniffed, crossing his arms.

"Hey, genius?" Persephone smirked.

"Hmph, what is it now? What do you want...?" Leon sneered.

"You're wearing your robe inside out," Persephone pointed out, noticing the seams were sticking out of his dark cape.

"What!?" he yelled. Elise laughed at her brother's sudden outburst as he frantically checked out his cape.

"You're still half-asleep, aren't you?" Marx remarked, stifling a snicker at his little brother's snafu with little to no success.

"Geez, you guys are mean! I'll be back in a minute!" He whined, taking on a similar pout his sister had worn earlier before marching off.

"You make it too easy, Leon!" Persephone called out to him as he pulled his cape up in embarrassment with a grumble.

"Haha... Sorry, sorry. But Leon, that charm of yours is your strong suit," Marx said apologetically, finally regaining his composure.

"Yeah, I guess it is," she observed. "But it's sort of my fault. I kept Leon up all night because I wanted to study extra hard for today."

"Enough already... It's over and done with. Can't be helped," Leon grumbled, his cheeks still tainted red from embarrassment. "Anyways, didn't you have some news to tell Percy, Camilla?"

"Yes. It seems like Father is taking you into the castle," said Camilla.

"Eh? Does that mean..." Persephone drew out before a smile grew on Camilla's face.

"That's right. You're allowed to leave the citadel. Having been caged here all your life... It must have been lonely. You poor thing..." She hugged her sister before stroking her hair. "But the time has finally arrived. Today marks the day of your freedom."

"Big sis, isn't that wonderful?" said Elise.

"Yes... I... I can't believe it," Persephone began tearing up. "At last, I get to leave... Just like my brothers, I will fight for the honor of Nohr!"

"Gods, don't get mushy on us now, Percy," Leon rolled his eyes. "Let's just go to the stables already and check to see if the stable-hand has the horses ready."

Gratefully, Persephone didn't have to walk long, as the stables were right next to the battlegrounds. She liked to visit their sometimes when she was allowed outside, but she wasn't allowed to go anywhere outside the citadel. Not until now. She could barely contain her excitement as she relayed the information enthusiastically to her friend Lilith.

"Congratulations, Lady Persephone. You're heading out into the world. Under Gunter's direction, I will be accompanying you as well." Persephone thanked her blue haired friend before Marx asked, "Lilith, are the horses ready?"

"Yes, they're ready," Lilith nodded. "The colts, they've really become attached to Lady Persephone. It's because Lady Persephone was always such good friends with them."

"That's right. Percy was always such a kind person," Camilla said nostalgically. "There was this one time when she helped out an injured little bird..."

"Yeah..." Lilith's expression seemed to lose some of its joy, her gold eyes dulling slightly, which did not go unnoticed by Persephone.

"Hey, why the long face?" she asked as she stroked the neck her horse Belfyre, who nipped playfully at his owner's hair. "Not you, Belfyre. I was talking about Lilith."

"No, it's nothing..." Lilith shook her head before fiddling a bit with the end of her long braid, the blue edges of it fading into red low-lights at the bottom.

"Geez, Sephie, you're so dense. She's feeling lonely," Elise pointed out. "She can't hog you all to herself anymore. Right?"

"No, it's not like that..." She stuttered, hating that the youngest princess misunderstood her feelings.

"Anyways, it seems like everything's ready. We shouldn't keep father waiting," Marx declared as he mounted Gaspar, the rest of the Nohrian family following suit, including her butler Joker and her bodyguard Gunter. Finally, after eighteen years, Persephone was leaving this place. Only fate would tell what laid ahead.


	2. Bets and Bonding

**Chapter 2: Bets and Bonding  
**

Windham was a very large capitol, the stronghold of the Nohrian kingdom, surrounded by a large mountain range and enormous walls built into the mountainside to shield against landslides and invaders. For most of her life, Persephone had been held in the Northern portion of the citadel, separated from the rest of her family. Unless she was summoned by her Father or a high ranking official, she had never left. She'd tried a couple times before, but the walls were enforced with magic for protection against outsiders and a deterrent for those within, so for her to be venturing out of the north castle now, it felt like an absolute dream. She could barely contain herself.

"Hurry up, you slowpokes," Persephone urged as she eased Belfyre into a faster gate, her Percheron stallion also feeling a bit eager to stretch his legs beyond the confines of the north tower's corral.

"Calm down, Percy. The castle isn't going anywhere," said Leon.

"I can't help it. I'm just... so excited! I want to get there as soon as possible!"

"If you wanted to get there fast, you can ride with me and my Marzia, Percy," Camilla suggested, patting the mount of her large black wyvern.

"I would, but the last time I tried to ride Marzia, I nearly fell off, and besides, you know I'm afraid of heights," Persephone lied.

"Well, if that is the case, I'll hold onto you very tightly so you won't be afraid anymore," Camilla offered, spreading her arms out.

"It's alright, Camilla. Belfyre never gets out much, so I thought he was deserving of a long ride," she shrugged, not wanting to admit that the real reason she didn't want to mount Marzia was because the wyvern scared her.

Marzia had always been really temperamental around her ever since she could remember, though the lizard would grudgingly behave herself when she was riding with Camilla in the driver's seat, but you could sense the tension and disgust in the way she glided. Though she did not understand why Marzia was territorial around the white-haired princess, since the male wyverns liked her well enough, she didn't want to tell Camilla that because, knowing her, she would give Marzia up in a heartbeat if the wyvern had caused Persephone any pain or discomfort, and she couldn't do that to her sister. She absolutely doted on her wyvern almost as much as she had on her little sister.

She didn't like to lie to her big sister, but in order to keep her happy, she swallowed her pride and tuned into her younger brother yammering, "You really shouldn't have brought him then. He's slower than a snail."

"He is a bit older than some of the other horses. He's almost as old as you, Persephone," Marx admitted.

"He is not! He's just... experienced at life. Besides, I bet you my entire gemstone collection that he can beat Kole AND Gaspar," she defended, challenging her brothers' steeds.

"No way. I've never seen you ride him above a trot," Leon sneered.

"So then there's no way you two can lose then, right?" He held her confident stare for a moment before he scoffed at her bet.

"I won't do it. You're being childish."

"Cowardly Leo, always shooting down a challenge," she sighed knowingly, egging him on with his nickname because she loved to see her brother's ears turn red in embarrassment. Messing with him was a bit of a hobby of hers.

"Only because it is pointless to accept a challenge I know I will always win. When I beat you, you'll be short a gem collection," he challenged nonchalantly, regaining his composure. A mischievous glint sparkled in Persephone's eye, her plan coming to light.

"Oh yeah? Loser has to help Lilith clean out the stables."

"You're on."

"Race you to the castle gates!" And with a click of her tongue and a squeeze of her heels, she and her dapple grey horse shot down the street like the wind.

"Oh dear..." Lilith sighed, left behind with two stunned wards.

"I want to race too!" Elise cheered, nudging her pony forward.

"H-Hold on, Lady Elise-!" Gunter began before Camilla mounted Marzia.

"I'll fly ahead to wait for you all at the finish line," she smiled before the flyer pulled ahead of everyone. Persephone grinned, feeling as free and confident as the wind blew through as her hair, her royal blue cape falling back behind her like bird wings stretching out for the very first time. In her haste to win, she had forgotten Marx was also competing until she saw the tossing of Gaspar's mane near her flank.

"Come on, Marx. Don't make me have to tell Father that I beat you twice in one day," she taunted.

"We shall see who's beating who, little princess," Marx countered with a confident smirk, the paladin gradually beginning to catch up with her until they both found their path blocked by a large heap of rock and dirt.

"What the-?" she started, pulling Belfyre to a sharp stop.

"Looks like there was another landslide last night," Marx observed, cautiously looking down at the slanted gravel. "We'll have to go around just to get by."

"Or..." Persephone drew out before she snapped back the reins and lead her horse down the muddy debris. "Shortcut!"

"Lady Persephone, be careful!" Gunter warned, trying to catch up with his ward.

"Don't be foolish, sister. The ground is too unsteady for anyone to be walking on it," Leon advised.

"Come on, little brother, that's loser talk, or are you scared?" she teased, causing for Leon to pull his face into a distinct frown.

"So childish..." he grumbled, but he soon took off after her because he was very much a sore loser. His horse was a lighter draft horse, a bit smaller than his older siblings, but that made it faster on its feet, so it wasn't long before he passed Gunter and closed in on Persephone.

"My lady, perhaps it would be best not to run at this speed, lest you mess your hair up," Joker urged, his horse slipping a bit on the uneven terrain.

"Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of me winning!" she called back before turning forward to focus on her mission.

"Stop, you two!" Marx shouted in vain, the pair already a couple paces ahead of him before he let out a resigned sigh. "Well, I certainly don't want to get stuck with stable duty." With some caution, he lead Gaspar forward onto the dirt heap. Belfyre was in the lead, but Kole was not too far behind.

"Come on, boy. Just a little bit farther!" Persephone urged her stallion before she heard the sound of gravel and water. "Oh boy..." Suddenly the ground beneath them began to give away, sending both Leon and herself down the hill.

"Whooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" they both yelled as they slid down the hill, the horses somehow managing to stay on their feet as they gradually began turning in the dirt like a boat with one paddle.

"Persephone! Leon!" Elise yelled before she was stopped by the elder knight.

"Stay back, Lady Elise!" Gunter warned, trying to keep the youngest princess from jumping into the gorge after them.

"Master Leon! Lady Persephone!" Lilith cried out as the riders tried to regain control of their horses.

"Whoohoo! HA-HA-HA-HA! YEAH!" Persephone laughed, loving the mad thrill of slide while Leon just looked extremely uncomfortable and almost motion sick. It continued onward for about a couple more meters before Marx felt a familiar pulse and raised up his right hand, beginning to chant a sacred hymn:

 _"I call upon the powers of Hydra and invoke our sacred contract!  
Awaken, sleeping god of the earth, so that we may be granted safe passage,  
And wield the power to defeat our enemies, and bring honor and glory to our dark lands!"_

Suddenly, the ground beneath them flashed with a blueish green light as it became more flat and held together than it did before, the mud now solid terrain that their horses could get steadier footing on. Gradually, they managed to steer the horses towards more solid ground, their race now about two hundred meters off-course from where they were supposed to be as all came to a stop. The two riders looked up in awe at the top of the hill at the power that had just been witnessed. _What on earth was that?_

"Are you both alright?" Marx asked the duo.

"That was INCREDIBLE!" cheered Persephone from down in the ditch, her brother letting out an annoyed groan.

"I should have never gotten out of bed this morning..." Leon sighed, wiping off some of the mud on his face.

"They're alright..." Marx shook his head in disbelief. Those two and their competitions would put him in an early grave. Speaking of which... "Then I'll meet you two at the castle." He gave them a cocky glance before continuing onto the castle grounds, the two younger siblings staring at him slack-jawed.

"Ah man, no fair! Betrayal!" She shook her fist in mock-hatred at her brother's head start. "Marx will beat us at this rate."

"Then we'll both be stuck with stable duty," Leon admitted with a frown, his older sister turning her head to look back at him.

"You mean _you'll_ be stuck with stable duty," Persephone corrected before she took off once again, her horse managing to accidentally kick up some mud into Leon's face.

Judging from how far away Marx was from the gates and how many paces she was from the more stable mountainside, it would take a couple meters before she would be able to catch up with him on more stable footing. He may had been the most experienced horseman, but she had spent her entire life living down at the stables. She knew the horses on a much deeper level than the others, and she wanted to win more than anything. Her horse could sense it. Channeling the last bit of his rider's energy, Belfyre managed to pull ahead at the last hundred yards to the castle gates before he crossed the threshold of Castle Krakenstein, a neck past Gaspar.

Persephone let out a happy victory cry before slowing down her steed, who was sweating and frothing a bit from the hard ride over. "Good boy, Belfyre!" She patted her horse neck.

"I told you you could be a knight," Marx reminded her. "You underestimate your ability. That horsemanship was astounding."

"That's only because I wasn't wielding a weapon. Skilled at horseback riding, yes, but wielding a sword in battle while you're riding is a strength and challenge all on its own, though I'm sure I don't need to be telling you this," she shook her head. "That mudslide was intense, though now that I think about it, what was that power you used, Marx? I never pegged you as a dark mage."

"It's called the Dragon's Vein." She turned to see her mud-covered brother behind her. "It's a power bestowed upon royalty who are descendant from the blood of the First Dragons, the dark dragon god, Hydra. Only those skilled enough to control its power are capable of wielding it."

"You mean I could use it?" Persephone interjected.

"Technically, yes, but I said skilled, not incompetent," Leon reiterated and shook his head, still trying to recover from the ordeal from earlier. "It takes a lot of effort and concentration, not to mention it's a huge responsibility to shape nature to one's will. One wrong move in battle, and your advantage could quickly become your downfall. Only Camilla and Marx have used it in battle. Even I am still trying to learn how to channel its powers."

"Well, knowing how big your brain is, I'm sure you'll have mastered it by the end of the week," Persephone shrugged, but not before adding, "Then again, it could just be hot air."

"Better than having everything handed to me from sheer luck," he retorted. "Honestly, you have the devil's luck, Persephone."

"That wasn't luck, it was skill!" she huffed crossing her arms. "It's not like Marx just let me win." She looked over at Marx, who kept silent as he dismounted. "Marx?" She called over, the tall blonde still not looking her in the eye. "You... you didn't _let_ me win, did you?"

"Hmmm?" He looked up before leading his horse towards the hitching post. "Oh, of course not. You won this fight, fair and square."

"Liar! You did, didn't you!?"

"No, I can honestly say I didn't. My horse was tired from our last battle and the way you handled Belfyre during poor terrain conditions was admirable, to say the least," he defended coolly. "However, if circumstances were changed, I'm sure the outcome would've been different." Persephone basically took that confession as him admitting that if he didn't care about his siblings welfare and safety, he could have won if he wanted to by leaving them both down in the ditch with no way to catch up.

"Bring it on! I'll take you on any day of the week," Persephone challenged, the race with Leon bringing out her more competitive side.

"I'll be looking forward to it," Marx smiled as Leon dismounted with a disgruntled expression on his face. "Guess you're cleaning out the stables tonight."

"Whatever," Leon grumbled. "You lost too. Why am I the only one who has to get punished for it? I nearly died because of your stupid race, Percy!"

"Don't be so melodramatic, brother. It was just a little mudslide."

"Don't worry, big brother. I lost too, so I'll help you out," cheered Elise, who with the rest of the company, had finally caught up to them.

"Geez, you're such a pain..." Leon sighed as he pushed past her.

"Whaaat? Leon, you can be such a meanie! Marx, tell Leon to stop being mean to me!"

"Don't worry, Elise. Little boys who don't behave around little girls always get punished," grinned Camilla as she came up behind Leon, though her smile seemed to hold a distinct darkness to it.

"My lady, are you alright?!" Joker inquired, grasping his mistress' shoulders.

"I-I'm fine, Joker. You worry too much," Persephone tried to calm down her butler, who was now listing all the worries he had over her and faults in his own skill as a butler in preventing her from being so rambunctious.

"That was extremely reckless, milady," Gunter scolded. His voice did not even having to be raised for her to feel the full force of shame from the knight. Still, she tried to wave it off.

"Aww, come on, Gunter, lighten up and have a little fun."

"And now you've completely messed up your attire," he observed, her armor and hair covered in dirt and water. "Your father will not be pleased with your delay, now that you are unfit to meet with him."

"Oh..." Realization came too quickly in her eyes, her mind now reeling towards the fact that she might have blown her chances at leaving, all over a stupid race. "Please, Gunter! Don't tell him! I'll clean up, I promise!"

"See what happens when you get too reckless, Percy?" Leon added his two cents, tying up his horse.

"You are just as guilty, Leo. Don't pretend you're not," Persephone fired back.

"Enough, you two!" Marx commanded with sibling authority, silencing them both. "We have to straighten up and get ready to meet with Father. Joker, see to Persephone. Try and see if you can make her a little more presentable. Lilith will oversee the horses."

"Yes, sir," they replied with a bow. The middle princess was already trying to brush the mud out of her hair, the dirt now turning her white hair a weird shade of tan. The annoying thing about mudslides was that it was basically just a wave of water filled with dirt, and when it came down on you, nothing was safe. Particles of dirt that had become lodged inside the crevices of her armor were starting to dry and become itchy. While she was pondering on how to clean herself, a sudden torrent of water poured all over her from above, effectively getting all the mud off but leaving her soaking wet.

"That's payback for the mud earlier," Leon smirked, closing a water tome before straightening up his attire.

"That's enough out of you," Camilla warned, grabbing his ear and pulling him away with enough strength that he was worried it was going to be pierced or ripped off by the end of it.

"You're not hurt, are you? From the mudslide?" Lilith inquired Leon as he managed to shake off Camilla's death grip on his ear.

"No, only my pride," he sighed irritably, rubbing his ear slightly before handing her the reins and storming off. "Make sure Kole's armor hasn't been damaged..." The stable-hand looked at his retreating back in concern. He never was a very good loser.

After drying off with one of Joker's handkerchiefs and a stable blanket, Persephone resigned to having her hair pulled into a messy bun until it dried. The rest of her siblings were socializing outside in the courtyard, but she was somewhat reluctant to greet them, having spent more time alone and sometimes liking to sit back, away from all the noise in solace. The traveler's stables wasn't the nicest barn she had ever stayed in, but it was doable. She ordered Lilith to leave the unsaddling to her, since she always found it was a good time to bond with her horse. She began unstrapping the bonds around his bridle until the bit fell away, his halter and lead the only thing remaining to tie him to the hitching post.

"Good boy," she praised, patting his neck as he drank from the rain trough kept strictly for horses, since wyvern saliva proved to be toxic to the beasts. "There's a sugar cube with your name written on it when we get back home."

"That would be nice if we actually had any," Marx chimed in, walking over towards the iron hitching post with his own horse. He must have waited with Gaspar outside until after she had situated herself. "We're kind of in the middle of the war, Persephone. All the extra amenities and rations go towards the soldiers."

"Oh, that's right..." she pondered thoughtfully. "Well, if we can't get any extras, then I'll just give him mine. I have all those sugar squares for my tea. I'll can drink black tea without sugar for a few days." She stroked Belfyre's muzzle a bit before she noticed that Marx was staring at her. "...What?"

"Nothing... Your kindness just seems to know no bounds." She pulled out an old block of concrete and climbed on top of it so she could reach her horse's saddle.

"Well, I don't want to put some poor soldier out just because I wanted to spoil my horse," she admitted, undoing the breast plate clasp.

"Have you ever had tea without any sugar before?" the elder prince inquired.

"No, but how bitter could it really be?" She began loosening the bonds on the saddle and lifted the heavy piece of leather off her horse's back with some difficulty before she suddenly felt a steadying hand on her back and the saddle.

"You know, you don't have to remove all of Belfyre's armor. Lilith can do that for you," Marx offered hastily, not wanting her to fall, but Persephone quickly shrugged him off.

"I know, but I told her I'd like to do it myself. I don't mind doing it all that much anyways," she huffed, lifting the saddle onto one of the empty stall doors before her gaze found her brother's staring at her in disbelief. "It's fine, really. I actually like taking off Belfyre's tack. It gives me more time to bond with him."

"I see... well, do you mind if I join you? Or at least give you some assistance so that you don't have to reach so high? I wouldn't mind spending a bit more time with you and Gaspar. We don't seem to socialize much outside of our usual training." She had not expected that. Mostly everyone would have just let her be and go on with their usual activities, but never did she expect him of all people to actually want to join her in her solace.

"O-Oh... w-well, sure, I guess. I don't mind, but, uh... do you actually know how to untack a horse?" Her curious expression caused Marx to laugh.

"I'm sure you'd be surprised to know that I have occasionally had to saddle and unsaddle my horse from time to time."

"Oh no, our country MUST be in trouble if the first prince Marx, heir to the throne of Nohr, has to saddle his own horse," she mock-gasped dramatically, earning a small chuckle from her companion.

"So, little princess, what are you planning to do with this newfound freedom of yours?" Marx questioned as he lifted off the attachments to his saddle.

"Well, I don't know. Gosh, where to start?" She paused slightly in her brushing before she continued, deep in thought. "I guess, first, I'd love a tour of the kingdom. I'd like to officially see what I am fighting for."

"I think that could be arranged," he complied as he set down and unclasped his horse's saddle, being tall enough to not need the concrete block. "We could try that some time tomorrow. I'm sure Camilla would love a day out, now that she can officially go shopping with you."

"Oh gods, I best prepare myself now, then," she deadpanned before she felt him lift off the saddle blanket and hand it to her. "Thanks," she nodded, doing a double take at his progress. "Wow, you really have done this before. You've already got all the tack off."

"You have to work fast and efficient when you're on the battlefield," Marx advised, taking a dirt comb she offered him. "Thank you. So after the tour tomorrow, what else did you have in mind?"

"After that, when this war is over... I would like to travel. Maybe be an ambassador. That way I could see new places, meet new people, expand my horizons a bit, you know? I want to see it all! From the Nohrian shores, all the way to the edge of the world!"

"I don't know. The edge of the world is pretty far and is told to be wrought with danger. Are you sure you'll be able to make it?" Marx humored her.

"Sure," she shrugged without a doubt in her mind. "Besides, I'll have Joker with me, right?" She looked towards her servant, who was currently polishing Belfyre's armor.

"It would be my pleasure, milady," Joker bowed. "It is a honor to even be considered as your traveling companion."

"Oooh! I would like to go with Big Sis too!" Elise added, after having ease-dropped on her siblings' conversation.

"What on earth is taking so long?" Leon asked. "Where did everybody go?"

"Hey Leon, just cleaning up Belfyre before I set out to travel the world," Persephone swiped a few stubborn bits of dirt and mud with her sweat brush before Elise ran up to her.

"Can I come too, Sephie? Pretty pleeeease?" Elise pleaded with her big doe eyes.

"The more the merrier." Persephone shared a smile with her baby sister, causing Leon to roll his eyes at the moment.

"Geez, let's actually receive permission for you to leave before you go off adventuring," he pointed out. "We are in the middle of a war right now."

"Of course I know that, Leon. I'm not _that_ naïve," Persephone countered with an eye roll. "I was planning to do all that _after_ the war ends. That's why I've been training so hard. I want to be able to help end the conflict."

"I think it's cute that she's excited about leaving," Camilla gushed fondly, completing the sibling gathering. "It's refreshing to see that after having to deal with this terrible war for so long."

"It is admirable to see that in someone so young," Marx observed. "It gives me satisfaction to see that a bright future will be in store if the people are as positive as you, Persephone."

"Gosh, Marx, you make me feel like I'm talking to a ninety year old man," she muttered. "I'm only nine years younger than you. It's not that much of an age gap."

"Age comes with experience. When you finally go out and experience the world, you'll understand." He was right. For the most part, she knew nothing beyond her stone walls. She wanted to change that, though she didn't want to lose who she was. She still would've liked to have a little innocence left for herself. "Speaking of which, if I remember correctly, a certain someone's birthday is some time this week."

"You remembered! Oooohhh what'd you get me?" Persephone gasped, eager and curious as a newborn pup.

"Now now, it wouldn't be a surprise if I just told you."

"Awww," she resigned, knowing that her doe eyes weren't as effective as her baby sister's.

"Alright, you two, make yourself decent. We're entering the stronghold now. We'll talk of birthday parties later," Camilla advised.

"There's going to be a party!?" Persephone gaped. "Oooh sounds exciting! I can hardly wait!"

"Shhh, Percy, I love your enthusiasm, but we must be respectful inside the castle walls," Camilla hushed.

"Right," Persephone nodded before stiffening into good posture. "Time to be serious."

Behind the castle gates, she didn't know what lied ahead. All that she knew was that she was eager for an adventure and that it would change her life forever.


End file.
